DCA arrests Arvind Pharma dealer in Gandhinagar for sale of counterfeit anti-epileptic tablets
Manish Kumar was arrested in connection with the seizure of counterfeit versions of Levipil 500 Tablets from Gandhinagar
By Newsmeter Network
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Hyderabad: On Tuesday, the Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Telangana, arrested Manish Kumar, partner-cum-competent person of Arvind Pharma Distributors, in SBI Staff Colony, Gandhinagar, for selling spurious (counterfeit) drugs.
Manish Kumar was arrested in connection with the seizure of counterfeit versions of Levipil 500 Tablets (Levetiracetam Tablets 500 mg). They were being sold under the original manufacturerās name, Sun Pharma Laboratories Ltd.
The DCA seized counterfeit batches of Levipil 500 tablets, a commonly prescribed anti-epileptic drug, from two pharmaceutical distributors in Hyderabad and Karimnagar.
The fake medicines, falsely claimed to be manufactured by Sun Pharma Laboratories, were found during raids conducted on July 4 and 5 based on intelligence inputs.
Raids in Hyderabad and Karimnagar
A special DCA team carried out inspections at Arvind Pharma Distributors in SBI Colony, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad and Venu Medical Agencies in Sai Nagar, Doctors Street, Karimnagar. In both locations, the team discovered counterfeit versions of Levipil 500 tablets bearing Batch No. GTF1540A, with a stated manufacturing date of May 2024 and an expiry date of April 2026.
These tablets were falsely labelled as being manufactured by Sun Pharma Laboratories, Kokjhar, Kamrup District, Assam.
Clarification from Sun Pharma
Following the seizures, the Drugs Control Administration obtained a comparison statement from Sun Pharma, the registered manufacturer of the original drug. The company confirmed that the detected batch was a ācounterfeit drugā and not produced by them.
Details of the Drug
Levipil 500 is a prescription anti-epileptic medicine used to treat seizures (fits) in patients diagnosed with epilepsy. The use of counterfeit versions of such drugs poses serious health risks to patients, especially those reliant on precise dosages and formulations.
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court, Secunderabad, ordered judicial remand for the accused until July 23, following which the accused was sent to Chanchalguda Jail.
The Director General, Drugs Control Administration, Shahnawaz Qasim, IPS, instructed the officers of the DCA to ensure zero tolerance towards dealers, medical shops, and pharmacies found involved in the distribution or sale of spurious or counterfeit drugs. Stringent legal action shall mandatorily be initiated against all such offenders, ensuring that they are brought to justice as per law.
